Giuliani Pivots from Bhutto News to Military Funding

Giuliani in Florida. (Reuters).

By Juliet Eilperin
MIAMI -- GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani cited today's assassination of Benazir Bhutto as yet another example of why the U.S. needs to "go on offense" against Islamic terrorism and expand its military might.

Speaking to a group of retired law enforcement officers in Broward County, Giuliani said the assassination "should unite us in facing the terrorist war against us. This is a war that is ongoing. This is a war that we have not chosen."

The former New York mayor, who is in the midst of a three-day swing through Florida before heading to Iowa tomorrow, said if elected president he would expand every branch of the military, adding 10 combat brigades and ensuring the country had a 300-ship Navy.

"We need a military that is ready for anything the terrorists might throw at us," he said, speaking before a chapter of the 10-13 Club, a group of retired police officers and firefighters who hail primarily from New York. "The reality is we need a larger military so these things don't become a strain."

Giuliani also suggested the U.S. should enlarge its military force in Afghanistan in order to prevent the Taliban and Al-Qaeda from reemerging there as influential forces in the region. In light of America's military victories in Afghanistan five years ago, he said, "We've got to makes sure... those gains are made permanent."

After an earlier meeting in Ft. Lauderdale with a group of veterans, Giuliani told reporters Bhutto's assassination reminded him of both the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and the subsequent 2005 terrorist bombings in London.

"These attacks are taking place in so many parts of the world," said Giuliani, who was traveling in London at the time of the 2005 attack. "These attacks are affecting all of us."

Giuliani, who unveiled a new national ad today that includes footage from the Sept. 11 attacks, said he is using the image of those attacks "in a proportional way," adding that other political candidates had used similar footage in the past.

"I believe [New York Democratic Sen.] Hillary Clinton has, President Bush did in the last campaign," he said. "It is part of my life. It is a part of my life that helps define me."

In an interview this morning, Giuliani said Democrats including Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) would take the opposite approach to fighting terrorism. These presidential aspirants would merely react to terrorist attacks, he said, rather than working actively to prevent them.

Well now that this is the last day of 2007 and soon to be the first of 2008 I want you to rember one thing the reason that you don't have many men and women want to be in the service is because the way you treat then when they get out.

Rudi Ghouliani has absolutely nothing to offer as evidence of his ability to manage ANYTHING, much less the US, as president! He
accomplished nothing in New York City to fight guard against terrorism in NYC, diverted $250 million intended intended to provide radio resources to enable the NYPD and NYFD to communicate during a crisis to other use, nothing to get any cooperation between NYPD and NYFD during a crisis, no real accomplishments whatever. He did nothing during the 9/11 crisis but seek photo ops.

Guiliani is a classis example of "being there" as depicted by Peter Sellers in comedy under that name.

Rudy is just another of the huge gang of under-accomplished presidency seekers spending billions of dollars in the '08 race, A sad offering for American voters.

Giuliani likes to talk tough. He makes all sorts of promises and extreme statements to try to look like a "tough guy". Promise the sky, with no limits, when it comes to expanding the military. It doesn't matter if we can afford it, or if it would really make a difference in national security.

Giuliani is saying this because he thinks it makes him look "tough" and he thinks that toughness means more votes.

He thinks the voters are dumb and gullible.

Two questions for the ex-mayor:

1) Why stop at just 10 more combat brigades? Why not 1000? What's wrong? Aren't you tough enough? Don't you want to "win" against the terrorists?

2) Where will the money come from? Will you raise taxes or cut services or both? Or will you just run up more of a debt?

Ten combat brigades? that's two or three more divisions. Not enough, but a start. So just how does he propose to find the fifty thousand additional volunteers that would require, when the Army can't meet current recruitment needs? And he needs more men for the Navy? say one hundred thousand more military, total. Where IS he going to get them?

Oh, yeah, and how is he going to pay for the men, materiel, and bases to put them?